In a gathering of political, business, and civil society leaders during the recent United Nations Climate Action Summit, 65 of the countries present vowed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Finland, in particular, has pledged its commitment to become carbon neutral by 2035 and carbon-negative in the years following then. According to the Paris Agreement, one of the means to achieve such an ambitious climate goal is through reforestation.

As trees grow, they remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air during the process of photosynthesis. This makes reforestation one of the most effective ways to use nature-based solutions to reduce man-made industrial emissions and limit global warming. In addition to mitigating the effects of climate change, reforestation also plays a role in boosting a nation's economy by providing jobs in forest-based industries. This has been a widely-recognized practice in Finland, where an average of 150 million new trees are planted each year.

The Philippines is among the most biodiverse countries in Southeast Asia. However, the prevalence of deforestation over the years has devastated the country's ecosystem, leading to major soil erosion, lower crop yields, and higher food insecurity. In response to this, several organizations have led replanting initiatives across several provinces.

For reforestation to be truly sustainable, it requires a planned approach where both the public and private sectors collaborate to create innovative policies that foster a healthy environment. In line with this, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), in partnership with the Embassy of Finland in Manila, will be hosting a webinar entitled "Reforestation and Sustainability: Realigning Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation" on 27 June 2022 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (GMT +8), via Zoom. Experts from various organizations will be sharing their insights and experience on reforestation and the opportunities for the rehabilitation of forest land in the Philippines.